Asus Eee PC 1215B

Introduction

This is a guide to running Linux with the Asus Eee PC 1215B laptop. If you have the Asus Eee PC 1215B and are running Linux on it please consider editing this page or adding a comment below with your compatibility details. By contributing you will help other people running this laptop or trying to make a decision on whether to buy it or not.

This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Asus Eee PC 1215B. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Asus Eee PC 1215B page on LapWik.

Asus EEEPC 1215B on Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneric Ocelot"

This part aims to describe the steps needed, to fully enable all features of the 1215B when using Ubuntu 11.10, “Oneric Ocelot” (released in autumn 2011).

Preface

Ubuntu 11.10 “Oneric Ocelot” supports all hardware components of this netbook. 3D-Desktop acceleration starts automatically. Sound is fully supported. WLAN support works right away. In the system menu, scrolling with the touchpad easily can be configured. Due to the dual core processor, Ubuntu runs with excellent performance on this netbook. Watching movies in HD for example is not a problem. Browsing files on a device connected via bluetooth works reliable. The battery will not last for the claimed eight hours. Depending on the system load, the battery life time is something around five hours.

Basic Installation Instructions

'Warning!' Before you install Ubuntu on the 1215B, backup all your data. During the installation procedure, parts of your hard drive will be formated and you will most likely change the size of existing partitions. If something goes wrong during these very critical operations, all your data may be lost! So backup all your data! Keep in mind, that the installation disks of the original operating system of the laptop are ONLY stored as images on the hard drive. So please, make sure you have backed up all your data before you proceed!

It is recommended to keep a Windows installation on the netbook. It is at least needed for BIOS updates.

* Get the installation image from Get Ubuntu. The 1215B are 64 bit processors and you should use the 64 bit Ubuntu as it works significantly faster. Once the .iso file is downloaded, create a bootable USB pen drive either directly on windows (download the USB pendrive application) or on an existing Ubuntu 11.04 computer (create a bootable USB pendrive with the USB-startup-creator tool in the Ubuntu menu under “System” > “Administration”)
* Plug the USB stick into the netbook, restart the computer and enter the BIOS by pressing and maintaining “Escape” when the computer starts. A screen appears to select the boot device, make sure you select the USB stick and first partition ubuntu (trying it, obviously).
During the installation process you need to manually partition the disk (do not select “install Ubuntu alongside Windows 7” it will shut down the installation process. Choose the “something else” instead). The preloaded partition comes :
/dev/sda1 ntfs 107374 MB (Windows principal partition)
/dev/sda2 fat32 16106 MB (Windows recovery environment)
/dev/sda3 ntfs 196574 MB (data partition)
/dev/sda4 none 16 MB (unknown)

Then Install Ubuntu on you laptop.
Grub, the application that enables users to choose which operating system chose, does not work at the first time. There is a way around :

Boot the LiveCD Desktop.

Open a terminal by selecting Applications, Accessories, Terminal from the menu bar.

Determine the partition with the Ubuntu installation. The fdisk option ”-l“ is a lowercase “L”. sudo fdisk -l If the user isn't sure of the partition, look for one of the appropriate size or formatting. Running sudo blkid may provide more information to help locate the proper partition, especially if the partitions are labeled. The device/drive is designated by sdX, with X being the device designation. sda is the first device, sdb is the second, etc. For most users the MBR will be installed to sda, the first drive on their system. The partition is designated by the Y. The first partition is 1, the second is 2. Note the devices and partitions are counted differently.

Mount the partition containing the Ubuntu installation. sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt Example: sudo mount /dev/sda1 Note: If the user has a separate /boot partition, this must be mounted to /mnt/boot Note: If the user has a separate /home partition, this must be mounted to /mnt/home. Encrypted home partitions should work.

Run the grub-install command as described below. This will reinstall the GRUB 2 files on the mounted partition to the proper location and to the MBR of the designated device. sudo grub-install –root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdX Example: sudo grub-install –root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

In Grub 1.99, introduced with Ubuntu 11.04, Natty Narwhal, a new switch is available which more clearly defines where the grub folder is placed. The command above will still work with Grub 1.99, but the following command is preferred by the developers. The target directory in the command is the command into which the grub folder will be installed. By default, and without the switch, the location is /boot/grub. In these instructions, since the Ubuntu partition is mounted on /mnt, the target would be /mnt/boot/grub.

sudo grub-install –boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sdX
Example: sudo grub-install –boot-directory=/mnt/boot/ /dev/sda
Reboot and it should work. You should now have Ubuntu working

Then Ubuntu should ask you to activate the ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (post-release updates). The driver is required to fully utilize the 3D potential of the graphic cards.

Post installation tune-up

* Google Chromium navigator. You can find in the “Ubuntu Software center” : Go to the left of the screen with the mouse and click on the filled paper bag icon. It can also be downloaded at http://www.google.com/chrome check for the 64 bit .deb (For Debian/Ubuntu). Download it and open the self installer.

These are the common additional software install that can't be installed throught the “Ubuntu Software Center”

* Skype. You can also find it in the “Ubuntu Software center” and search for Skype. It will ask you to add the “Natty-Partner Source”. Just accept. You can alternatively check http://www.skype.com/intl/en/get-skype/ and ask for the Ubuntu + 64-bit version.

These are other common install you can get directly from the Ubuntu Software center:
* Microsoft fonts To install Microsoft fonts like (Arial, Times New Roman). Search for “ttf-mscorefonts-installer” in the Ubuntu Software center To install Wingdings and other fonts, download the font file (wingding.ttf) here: http://cid-a69c4d1ba0c53559.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/WinExperience/Fontes/WINGDING.TTF . Copy the font file to ~/.fonts and refresh the font cache by typing in a terminal

sudo fc-cache -fv

* Medibuntu (Multimedia, Entertainment & Distractions In Ubuntu) is a repository of packages that cannot be included into the Ubuntu distribution for legal reasons (copyright, license, patent, etc). Follow the instructions here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu
* Google Earth (needs medibuntu)
* WiFi Radar (Tool to scan neighboring WiFi signal), Wavemon to measure the intensity of wifi signal so to adjust the position of your laptop in increase reception (don't forget this is a terminal application, you have to add a launcher for it) EtherApe (Graphical Network monitor that shows you who you computer is talking with), Umit Network scanner, Zenmap to check what ports are open in your network, Wireshark to see what is going on on your network.
* Sync-ui is a sync application to synchronise all your agenda and contacts with an external server (needs medibuntu) Search for sync-ui in the Ubuntu Software center and Sync will appear. Install it and run it. It will first ask fo a slow sync
* Audacity An excellent piece of software that permits to edit sound and music files.
* Other interesting programs include GnuCash, Openshot video editor and Team Viewer (not in the “Ubuntu Software Center”),

Automatic logon unlock

After the netbook has been in powersave mode, you will allways be asked to logon. If you don't want this: